Raj
by silverslitherer
Summary: Based off the book Sold by Patricia McCormick. The Hugging Man returns. What would happend if the Americans never showed up? Collection of drabbles.


**Hey everyone. this is a little story created off the book Sold, but Patricia McCormick. I looked for a category for it, but I couldn't find it, so I posted it here. It's an alternate ending ai wrote for school, but I thought, what the hell, I'll put it on here. Hope you like it! ( also, sorry for the funky formatting. I don't know why it's doing that.)**

_Any Man, Every Man_

I watch the men.

Ugly

Old

Handsome

Dirty

Rough

Sick

I know who I am.

I know what I have become.

And I know I will be with every single one of them.

I will become Monica.

I will do whatever it takes to get out of here.

_Regulars_.

It has been one year. I have regulars now. It is strange. It is strange for the same men to come at the same time every day. To do the same thing. The thing I know is wrong, know is dirty, yet the thing I do regardless. As Ama said, when I was a child, "Simply to endure is to triumph."

Ama. I have not thought about her in a while. I remember getting my first blood, and what she said to me after. All her rules. And I realize I have broken all of them.

_Kindness_

The hugging man returned today. It had been over a year. But he returned. I like the hugging man. He is kind to me. He brought me sweets. He is clean and gentle, and does not smell like gin. I am glad to have someone so kind, in this cruel, cruel world.

_Instead of Harish. _

The hugging man has a name now. It is Raj. I am right about him. He is very nice. He will bring me candy and American treats. One day, he even brought me a Coca-Cola. I still miss Harish, more than over, but Raj is helping. For now.

_Outside_

Today, I learned that Raj can speak my language. He tells me of the world. He tells me about the girls me boy playing outside. He tells me about his mother and father, and his three little sisters. He tells me that he is nineteen years old. I have lost track of old I am. I think I am fourteen years old, but I would not know. I do not even know what month it is. If it were not for the seasons, I would not the year had changed.

_Harish_

I saw Harish today. I did not talk to him. He was standing outside the brothel. He did not come inside. I watched him from the window. He saw me, and smiled, it was not a happy smile, but a sad, sad smile. I was sorry again. I do not think I will ever see him again.

_Colored Ice_

Raj snuck a new treat for me. The treat was ice, but it was sweet, and a bright color. It came in a little plastic tube. It was wonderful. Even though he still does the dirty thing, he brings me treats, and tells me stories, and is kind to me. I will not complain about kindness. There is so little of it for me, anymore.

A _New Home_

Raj asked me today if I wanted to leave. He says that I could come stay with him. He didn't even do the wrong today. He sat there, and talked to me. He says I would not have to do anymore dirty things. He says one of his sisters is almost fifteen, like me. He says his parents would love me like their own child. He says his two other sisters are twelve and seven, and would like to have another older sister. I am not sure to trust him. How would I repay my debt to Mumtaz in his home. He says he will ask me later. Then he leaves.

_Yes_.

I made my decision. I am going to live with Raj. I want to have a mother and a father again. I want to meet his three little sisters. I want to leave this place, and not have to do the dirty things again. I will tell him soon. I am going to leave. And I will never come back.

_The Deal_

Raj says he has talked to Mumtaz. He says that he has paid off my debt. That Mumtaz will let me leave. I'm so happy, that I tackle him to the ground with a hug. He smirks at me. I am very happy, now. I start packing immediately.

_Never Again_

I look back at the brothel as Raj and I sit in the ricksha. I will never go back. Ever.

"Don't worry." He holds my hand, and I put my head on his lap. "You'll be fine. My family and I will take care of you." I fall asleep on his lap, with him caressing me, so gently.

When I awake, I see a large white home atop a hill. It is large. The largest home I have ever seen.

"We are almost there." Says Raj. "It's right up there." I stare at him.

_Family_

"Hello. My name is Medina, but you can call me Mama. " says a kind Indu woman in a green sari. She is Raj's mother. My new mother.

"I am Lakshmi." I see three girls run up to me. One of the looks about my height, but better fed. The middle one is a plump little girl in a blue sari, and the youngest in a bright red one.

They all look so nice and clean. I feel so dirty in my old tattered dress.

"Hi, I am Sadhna. I'm twelve. This is Ragni. She is seven years old. How old are you?" She says in my language.

"Fourteen." I reply.

"Wonderful. I am also fourteen. I am Eti."

An old man comes up to me and shakes my hand.

"Hello. You must be Lakshmi. I am Baba." The two little girls drag me to their rooms, to show me their dolls. Afterwards, Mama and Eti made me try on about a hundred dresses. Then, we all had a meal together. It was all laughing and fun.

Yes, I think my life here will be fine.


End file.
